Bilbao Roscoff June 2024

[Tallslimbloke]

Intending to cycle Eurovelo1 from Hendaye to Roscoff . Leave Portsmouth on ferry June 9, get that little train to Hendaye and go from there.
New to the unsupported rides.
Anyone doing same then company would be good.
Also any advice, no matter how daft.
Thank you

[MrsHJ]

No real advice- it’s a nice cycle. I did most of that route last year around a week earlier. Got a bit hot at times. Couldn’t be bothered to do all the wiggly bits between La Rochelle and Nantes so cut inland via La Roche sur Yonne which was fine. Canal in Brittany was nice and shady albeit quite a lot unsealed and dusty.

Unsupported is the relaxed approach but give yourself time to find accommodation and food- i get a bit obsessed with blank areas without boulangeries- i had to cycle 42km once last year across Les landes to find a bakery! (This was exceptional but is seared in my memory- don’t worry, I always have snacks with me and I was cycling across country to join the velodysee ). I prebook accommodation these days but outside July-august you should be fine without booking and if you’re camping they’ll usually squeeze a one man tent in. I’ve found that more planning means I relax into the route more and I enjoy planning on dark winter days. Others like serendipity and you have to figure out what works for you. I do run a spreadsheet for planning with daily distances and climbing and accommodation arrangements that others might find a tad over detailed. It includes check in times and bike storage arrangements, whether I’m getting breakfast, when the accommodation can be cancelled and what the payment methods are. I’m an accountant, ahem.

Depending on your accommodation plans camping is pretty plentiful in Brittany but b and bs can be a bit sparse along the canal. Enjoy.

[Tallslimbloke]

Thank you for that.
I'm going to cut the corner at Nantes at Le Pellerin, go north to the canal. What I do there regarding accommodation will probably depend upon the weather. I'm hoping there maybe some small villages with hotels.
Never done anything like this before, so a steep learning curve

[roubaixtuesday]

Thank you for that.
I'm going to cut the corner at Nantes at Le Pellerin, go north to the canal. What I do there regarding accommodation will probably depend upon the weather. I'm hoping there maybe some small villages with hotels.
Never done anything like this before, so a steep learning curve

Chambres d'hôtes are generally excellent for accommodation in France, many in the countryside
as well as towns. There's a website and app.

[simonhill]

Just a warning, I think you will find the first bit to Bayonne quite lumpy. I joined that route at St Jean de Luz from the low Pyrenees expecting a nice coastal roll into Bayonne - it wasn't.

Lots of short sharp ups and downs.

Fret not, it's gets much easier.

Read all other recent posts about France and Euro touring for info on accommodation etc.

You don't mention accommodation or budget, both fairly important. My most common search after 'hotels' was Lidl. Cheap food, sandwiches, ready meals, fruit and veg, booze, etc.

[ANTONISH]

Just a warning, I think you will find the first bit to Bayonne quite lumpy. I joined that route at St Jean de Luz from the low Pyrenees expecting a nice coastal roll into Bayonne - it wasn't.

Lots of short sharp ups and downs.

Fret not, it's gets much easier.

Read all other recent posts about France and Euro touring for info on accommodation etc.

You don't mention accommodation or budget, both fairly important. My most common search after 'hotels' was Lidl. Cheap food, sandwiches, ready meals, fruit and veg, booze, etc.

I can remember riding the other way Bayonne to Hendaye in 2006 - it didn't seem particularly arduous.

[simonhill]

I said lumpy, probably more so for someone's first day.

Not sure if this link shows it but a dozen or so short climbs, nothing over 75 m, 470.m in 37.5 Kms but sharp and frequent. The last few Kms into Bayonne are virtually flat alongside docks and river.

https://cycle.travel/map?from=Hendaye&t ... ,-1.475099

If not, use cycletravel and input Hendaye to Bayonne.

Nonetheless, the key phrase in my post was :
"Fret not, it's gets much easier."

By the way Bayonne is one of my favourite towns, I loved it for so many reasons.

[Tallslimbloke]

Thank you all.
I intended to go to Roscoff, but can't get a train home to Birmingham, so think I'll go back to St Malo instead and get train there.
Going out have to go via London, no train spaces direct, so hopefully same upon return. Don't know London that we'll, so another adventure
The worst case being I'll have to cycle home. Better than cycling from Plymouth at least.
Does anyone know where I can get a reasonable route from Nantes area to St Malo.
Thank you

[jack1]

Hi,I’m aiming to do the same trip May/June ( no camping) Small Hotels/etc Feel free to message me. Thanks Regards Darrell

[jack1]

Hi,I have sent you a Personal message. Regarding your trip Thanks.

[Tallslimbloke]

Replied to pm.

[ANTONISH]

I said lumpy, probably more so for someone's first day.

Not sure if this link shows it but a dozen or so short climbs, nothing over 75 m, 470.m in 37.5 Kms but sharp and frequent. The last few Kms into Bayonne are virtually flat alongside docks and river.

https://cycle.travel/map?from=Hendaye&t ... ,-1.475099

If not, use cycletravel and input Hendaye to Bayonne.

Nonetheless, the key phrase in my post was :
"Fret not, it's gets much easier."

By the way Bayonne is one of my favourite towns, I loved it for so many reasons.

+1 for Bayonne - lovely place.
I did the Pyrenees raid from Hendaye that year so I was in a lot better shape than I have been in recent years - probably explains why Bayonne to Hendaye didn't seem so hard..

[MrsHJ]

Just to say Plymouth to Birmingham new street is doable if you wish. It’s a an hourly cross country service with limited bike spaces. In terms of timing considèr aiming for the Sunday morning ferry- that’s a better arrival time for trains than the other which tend to be evening arrivals at 8pm.

Saint malo is also a nice choice though.

[Tallslimbloke]

Just to say Plymouth to Birmingham new street is doable if you wish. It’s a an hourly cross country service with limited bike spaces. In terms of timing considèr aiming for the Sunday morning ferry- that’s a better arrival time for trains than the other which tend to be evening arrivals at 8pm.

Saint malo is also a nice choice though.

Thank you, I've looked at trains in my time frame and all say fully booked. Since I don't know the exact date I'll be able to do the distance in, I can't commit to a specific date. If I have to cycle home, Portsmouth is a lot shorter than Plymouth, with less hills, I hope

[AlanInBangor]

I've looked at trains in my time frame and all say fully booked.

Are you sure they're fully booked and not that the quota hasn't yet been released?